Introduction
Surveys can be an efficient methodological tool for various research, but there are specific difficulties related to the process of conducting a survey. It is essential to thoroughly analyze the research subject to identify the number and type of questions to ask, address validity and variability issues appropriately, and determine the sampling size and design procedures. Nowadays, data collection is a rapid and automated process due to various online tools that allow gathering required information using specific survey software. However, people continue to research the complex structure of surveys and create more effective tools, constantly overlooking different components of survey methodology.
Discussion
It may be challenging to define the generally appropriate number and type of questions as they always depend on the survey’s specificities. Nonetheless, researchers have identified some rules which survey conductors should follow when constructing a questionnaire. Those rules include being unambiguous, using understandable vocabulary, paying attention to contingencies and filtering questions, offering a “do not know” option to respondents, and avoiding loaded questions (Ball, 2019). In addition, conducting a survey should follow a strict design procedure. Ball (2019) recommends implementing an introductory page in each survey to explain the research purpose to the participants and clarify that any information they enter into the questionnaire will be used in further research, avoiding issues associated with informed consent. A sample is also a crucial element of a survey: it should represent a larger sample and have a proper size to reduce the number of sampling errors. Thus, creating a clear communication channel within an appropriate sample is one of the critical components of conducting an efficient survey.
It is also vital to address validity and reliability issues while conducting a survey. Validity is “the accuracy of a survey assessed by determining the representativeness of the sample and the precision of the questions being posed to ensure that what we are aiming to measure is being measured” (Ball, 2019, p. 419). In other words, the survey’s validity indicates whether the questionnaire matches the initial goal. Ball (2019) identifies four validity types commonly included in the research: face validity, content validity, internal validity, and external validity. Then, the reliability principle is associated with eliciting similar information from participants even if the questionnaire structure has changed (Ball, 2019). Reliability is a way of ensuring that respondents do not interpret the researcher’s intentions differently. Both validity and reliability are essential elements of a successful survey.
There are free online tools that can be useful in conducting a survey, and helping with research. For example, one such tool is the Checklist for Reporting Results of Internet E-Surveys (CHERRIES), a set of specific recommendations published by the Journal of Medical Internet Research (as cited in Ball, 2019, p. 424). The checklist ensures that various issues, including sampling size, design procedure, validity, and reliability, are appropriately considered to avoid biased research results. There are also many similar online tools for different types of research, such as the Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT), which are appropriate for randomized trials, and the Quality of Reporting Data Analyses (QUOROM) statement, which is appropriate for systematic reviews (Ball, 2019). All those tools are available for free and are highly efficient in conducting surveys.
Conclusion
Overall, survey methodology has a complex structure, which is why researchers actively develop it, overlooking its essential components. Those components include the number and type of questions to be asked, sampling size and design procedure, and various issues related to validity and reliability principles. Although conducting a survey can be a complicated process, many free online tools may be helpful for various types of research.
Reference
Ball, H. L. (2019). Conducting online surveys. Journal of Human Lactation, 35(3), 413-429.